A Boy and His Dog Movie Review

Fetch this cult classic, a “kinky tale of survival,” based on Harlan Ellison's novella. In the post-holocaust world of 2014, the essence of humans and animals has been reversed. Don Johnson stars as a dim-witted youth who treks across the barren wilderness foraging for food and women. It is his canine companion, Blood, with whom he communicates telepathically, that is the more cultured, tutored, and civilized. Directed and adapted for the screen by character actor L. Q. Jones. Though Ellison has expressed “enormous appreciation” for Jones's adaptation, he disavows the controversial ending in which Johnson must choose between an ailing Blood and a woman trying to lure him to an underground society that desires his breeding potential. Suffice to say the final pun is not for all tastes. Ellison raised money to re-dub it by hawking clippings from the editing room floor at science-fiction conventions, but Jones prevailed. Produced by Alvy Moore (best remembered as Hank Kimble on Green Acres). Blood was played by the late Tiger of The Brady Bunch. Tim McIntire supplies the voice.

1975 (R) 87m/C Don Johnson, Suzanne Benton, Jason Robards Jr., Charles McGraw, Alvy Moore; D: L.Q. Jones; W: L.Q. Jones; C: John Morrill; V: Tim McIntire. Hugos ‘76: Dramatic Presentation. VHS, Beta, LV ICA, MED, MRV